What is ConTeXt

ConTeXt is software for typesetting high-quality documents. Unlike familiar word processors where the formatting of the final document is crafted while writing the content, ConTeXt documents are written without formatting, in plain text, using a macro language. This means that the document's content can change independently of its formatting and vice versa.

Graphics

ConTeXt integrates a superset of MetaPost called MetaFun, which allows drawing page backgrounds and ornaments.

Internationalization

ConTeXt provides a multi-lingual user interface with support for markup in English, Dutch, German, French, and Italian and support for output in many languages including western European languages, eastern European languages, Arabic, Chinese, Japanese, and Korean.

Compatibility

ConTeXt supports TeX engines such as pdfTeX, XeTeX, and LuaTeX without changing the user interface.

History

Licensing

ConTeXt is free software. The program code (i.e. anything not under the /doc subtree) is distributed under the GNU GPL; the documentation is provided under Creative Commons Attribution NonCommercial ShareAlike license.

Example

Technical Details

ConTeXt can be used to typeset complex and large collections of documents, like educational materials, user guides and technical manuals. Such documents often have high demands regarding structure, design and accessibility. Ease of maintenance, reuse of content and typographic consistency are important prerequisites.

ConTeXt is developed for those who are responsible for producing such documents. ConTeXt is written in the typographical programming language TeX. For using ConTeXt, no TeX programming skills and no technical background are needed. Some basic knowledge of typography and document design will enable you to use the full power of ConTeXt.

ConTeXt is parameter driven and the user interface supports several languages, like English, German and Dutch. This means that those less familiar with the English language can choose the interface that suits them best. Of course ConTeXt can typeset in many languages.

Originally ConTeXt was written as tool for writing complex, constantly changing and extensive educational documents. Although much functionality originates there, ConTeXt has proven to be quite suitable to perform many other complex typesetting tasks. Some features are:

automatic placement of figures, formulas, tables and other kind of floating bodies

automatic generation of lists of abbreviations, synonyms, and whatever needs to be sorted

automatic numbering of footnotes

adapting footers and headers to the current page content

extensive formatting of itemizations in many levels

consistent typesetting of legends to formulas

maintaining several registers, if needed with extensive interactive support

extensive cross-referencing capabilities

generating lists of used figures, tables, formulas and more

forcing rigourous consistency in emphasizing parts of the text

managing documents in a project environment

automatic placement of marginal notes

typesetting in more than one column

identifying textual elements in such a way that they can be hidden, moved and reused when needed (questions, answers, definitions, etc.)

using text in more that one document, with a different layout if needed

automatic hyphenation of words as well as adaptation to language specific typographic needs

inclusion of illustrations in standardized formats from other applications

using color

easy change of layout, while guarding consistent typography

providing multiple tables of contents and lists, at all levels, to provide optimal accessibility

automatic numbering of definitions, lemmas and other structural components

automatic numbering of figures, tables, and other floating bodies

automatic makeup of tables and formulas

ConTeXt supports the PDF format and is able to directly produce highly interactive PDF files, using pdfTeX. All cross-references are automatically converted to hyperlinks. Such documents
can be viewed and consulted with Acrobat. ConTeXt can provide all kinds of navigational aids that can be activated without programming. Electronic versions of documents thereby become very useful in educational settings. The potential of PDF is available to the user: complex forms and JavaScripts are no problem for ConTeXt. PRAGMA ADE has developed ConTeXt in-house mainly to suit its own and customers' wishes concerning developing educational
documents. Flexibility in layout, reuse of content, and maintenance are keywords.